Probe begins into ISI's rigging of 1990 Pak polls

A probe has begun into the distribution of money among politicians by Pakistan's intelligence agencies in their bid to prevent Benazir Bhutto's party from winning the 1990 general elections, a media report said.

A probe has begun into the distribution of money among politicians by Pakistan's intelligence agencies in their bid to prevent Benazir Bhutto's party from winning the 1990 general elections, a media report said.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) probe commenced Friday. Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan was the first to appear before an agency committee to record his statement, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Asghar Khan had filed the petition in 1996, accusing the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of financing several politicians during the 1990 elections to create the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) group and prevent Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from winning.

The daily said former army chief Aslam Baig, former ISI director-general Asad Durrani and former head of Mehran bank, Younus Habib, would also be called by the committee.

The four-member committee is being headed by FIA Additional Director General Mohammad Ghalib Bandesha.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan had issued a landmark in October, ordering legal proceedings against Durrani and Baig.

The court ruled that there was ample evidence to suggest that the 1990 election was rigged and that a political cell maintained by then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan supported the formation of the IJI to stop PPP from winning.

The ruling said Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Baig and Durrani violated the constitution.